Hello,

I wonder if anyone can help at all please? I have has a look on the archive and got some info but hoping to get some further direction please?

I am looking at doing some work and a research project surrounding Funeral Services, including collections, arrangement, embalming and the funeral procession. I was wondering if anyone had any experience surrounding this industry and could point me in the direction of any information, papers etc surrounding the health and safety side of it but also any snippets of specific legislation I need to take into account that Funeral Directors will be expected to follow.

Any help would be massively appreciated.

Thank you :-)

Jodie

If you haven't done so already, and it's feasible/appropriate for you, try contacting one or more funeral director firms to see if they would be willing to share information and discuss OSH aspects with you and let you observe aspects of their work.

Jay has already rightly mentioned nasty chemicals used for embalming. However, another notable aspect of funeral services to consider is lifting and carrying. Years ago when I had a chat with someone who worked for a funeral director, he mentioned that moving bodies of newly deceased people within and out of dwellings, especially down stairways with turns, wasn't easy and invariably a two-person task. With the increased prevalence of obesity in the UK I guess that this aspect of the work has become more difficult.

In addition, working with bereaved people and/or human bodies requires good mental and emotional resilience plus qualities like empathy, tact, diplomacy and respect.

Also, when my work included cremation & burial services years ago, I discovered that numerous magazines/journals are published regularly for the various parts of the funeral and bereavement services sector. Thus, if one or two funeral directors were willing to let you see some copies of such magazines, you might get some idea about OSH issues which are of concern within the sector.

Graham B